Co-Creation: Extended Reality (XR) for Authentic Clinical Learning Experiences.

COVID has required educators to rethink pedagogical approaches, especially in health sciences where authentic learning experiences are being reenvisaged when access to clinical placements are limited.

The integration of Extended Reality (XR) in health education has been found to simultaneously develop procedural knowledge, clinical reasoning, interprofessional communication and teamwork while adapting to the ever increasing complexity of clinical scenarios. Principles of social constructivism, situated learning, self-determination and authentic learning are suggested to be facilitated by the co-creation of virtual environments and/ or objects.

Learning by participation is not limited to collaborative practice, more so in these times of disruption. It is proposed that by students’ co-creating XR clinical scenarios, students are able to evaluate and analyse their learning in discussion with knowledgeable others, thereby developing key themes and principles in context. Returning to their original scenario- students apply those principles to correct any misconceptions and subsequently developing their understanding within that context. “Flipping” Bloom’s taxonomy may remap learning activities through the development of authentic learning experiences for clinical skills.

This presentation invites health science educators to consider the integration of XR to facilitate learning by participation while proposing next steps to developing authentic learning experience- beyond these times of disruption.